Diodeshipping Oneshots
by RinaSkitty
Summary: A new series I'm starting :D It's a series of Diodeshipping oneshots (creative name, right?). The ratings will vary, depending on whatever is needed. Happy Diodeshipping Day!
1. Story Book Ending

Song Inspiration: "Monster" by Skillet

"I'm not going to fight you, Satoshi!" The blond picked himself up again, wiping a small amount of blood from his split lip. In his suit, against his chest, he could feel the last piece to 'The Ultimate Weapon' dangling by a thin chain.

While Satoshi and the others fought off Calamanero, he had been entrusted to dismantle the machine. He had managed to retrieve the most important piece, a peculiar pink crystal bound in steel rings, but had been yanked away when the girls were attacked before he could get rid of it.

Now the dark Pokemon had Satoshi completely in it's control, manipulating it's way into his mind and using his body as a fleshy puppet.

"Mane-mane-ma" From across the abandoned building, a Calamanero chuckled deeply, enjoying seeing the boy in pain.

In the corner, both the girls had been secured in a storage closet. He could hear them and their Pokemon (including Pikachu) furiously pounding on and attacking the steel door. Surely Serena was trying to think of a way to escape while he held him off.. right?

Mindlessly, Satoshi stepped closer, his glassy eyes still somehow threatening. In his hand, he held a broken end to one of Citron's inventions, the Pikachu robot that broke Calamanero's control the first time they had met (apparently it could _really_ hold a grudge). The metal was decorated in dents, occasionally showing scratched off paint or small slivers of Citron's blood.

"You are a pest.. trying to be the hero. You boys don't know when to stop, do you?" Satoshi's monotoned voice spoke the words the malicious Pokemon had ordered him to. His arm swung high, bringing it down with all his strength.

"Satoshi!" Quickly the inventor dodged, the metal just barely missing this time.

 _Shit! I need help! I can't stop him on my own.._

Finding a stack of crates, he slipped between the wood, trying to buy himself some time. Okay, think.. think... think...

Mind control was something they had encountered several times before with Lucario, Pikachu and Rentorar. They had both managed to snap them out of it with a bond that only they shared with their trainers.

A bond?

Did he and Satoshi have the same connection? Of course, the blond knew that he harboured unspoken feelings for him. That had became obvious to him fairly quickly in their time together. But out of fear of loosing his best friend, he had decided to keep his emotions to himself. Although, it was becoming more clear that if there was any hope of getting though to the brain washed boy, a confession just might be enough.

 _However, what matters here, is if Satoshi feels the same way.._

 _True. He_ had to be the one to hear him from however deep inside he was.

The sound of wood splitting brought the inventor from his thoughts. With hardly a moment to process this, the next thing he knew, he was being drug out of his hiding space by the collar out into the open.

"Satoshi! It's me!" The inventor caught a foot to the face, his glasses skidding across the concrete floor. A sickening crack followed by a throbbing pain and hot blood rolled down from his now broken nose.

Not wasting a second, a heavy weight piled on his torso, pinning him to the floor. Panic started to fill his chest. Satoshi was stronger than him, there was little hope of trying to pry him off now. The trainer's fingers curled around his arms, digging into the torn dirty fabric.

 _I can't let him get it, I have to snap him out of this somehow!_

"You can't save him." Satoshi's voice rang coldly, Calamanero's words stinging. "You call this pathetic attempt of your's _a bond_?" His tone dropped into a growl, sounding deadly as he leaned in closer. His once alert amber eyes glazed and completely lost. "I know what's in your head, boy. I've been inside it-"

Calamanero's words sent a chill down his spine. He had nightmares for weeks after the pokemon had invaded his mind. Now, similarly, Satoshi was being manipulated just like his had been.

 _It knows..how I feel about him..is that why it's so aggresive?.._

"You'll never be enough." He mocked, tapping into his worst fears. "You're just another traveling partner. Within a few months you'll just be another story, no more than that."

Satoshi will leave. When he's done with the league.. he'll be gone..

The inventor felt himself withdrawing, emotional pain overriding his physical aches.

"Why fight for someone who doesn't give a shit about you? Why let them _abuse_ you if they'll never return your love? Save yourself the trouble, kid. Give up and hand me the stone."

Satoshi.. felt nothing for him. He didn't care. He didn't-

"You're wrong!" Citron's voice cracked, pushing back the tears starting to form in his pale eyes. He couldn't give up. This is what the Pokemon wanted, to get his gaurd down so he could retrieve the last piece to the machine. Citron couldn't give in to it. Satoshi wouldn't want him to. Somewhere deep inside the body above him, he was still in there. Perhaps fighting just as hard as he was. "He do-"

"SHUT UP!" A fist collided again with his jaw, sending more blood across the ground. The inventor whimpered, curling into himself. He had to protect the crystal, atleast long enough until Satoshi came through.

 _I have to tell him.. I really don't have a choice.._

"Satoshi! I know you can hear me!" A tanned hand forced him onto his back, facing the trainer. Aggressively, he made for Citron's neck, yanking on his collar and the thin chain. The jagged stone dug into his skin, thankfully still concealed in his clothes. "I know you're in there, Satoshi! You wouldn't do this! You wouldn't let anyone hurt your friends!"

There was a brief pause..

A flicker of conciousness passed through his amber eyes.

 _It's working!_

THUD. His back of his head collided with the concrete, earning a sharp cry of pain from the inventor.

That moment, however brief it was, told him something: Calamanero knew it was loosing control. The trainer had managed to return for only a few seconds, and sensing that, the Pokemon was determined to silence him.

"Y-you're my best friend, Satoshi!" He called out again, desperate to be heard. He could feel his body trembling in fear and anticipation, warm blood colouring his hair a muddy burgundy.

"..You've given me courage." A blow to the stomach.

"I-I've been learning from you since the day we met, every single day.. You're brave and strong." Another swift kick to the ribs. From outside the building, he could hear the faint trace of sirens getting closer.

"You're so selfless, that you'll throw yourself into danger for those you care about.

"I thought at first that I was just a fanboy. That my admiration for you would eventually wane as I got used to being around you. But the more I watched you, th-the closer we got.. I realised that I was wrong!

"I've worked so hard to be worthy of your affection. I-I love you, Satoshi!" he panted, trying to stay concious. The throbbing in his head hurt so badly, surely he had a new bruise, if not a concussion. But that didn't matter right now..

..

"Love.." The trainer sat completely still, his eyes slipping in and out of focus. It was clear that internally, Satoshi was fighting.

"I love you." Citron repeated, feeling slightly more confident. "I want to be the one you come to when you're in trouble or when you're in pain. I want to be the one who's by yourside for every moment of our lives, no matter how happy or sad. _Please_ , let me love you.." Using all the energy he had left, he pulled his arm out of Satoshi's grasp, bringing the trainer down into a desperate kiss.

The stiff body that had just been beating him slowly grew limp, falling out of his hypnosis. Across the room, he could hear Calamenero's enraged voice and the breaking of latches as the girls finally managed to escape. He could hear a small gasp of surprise at the scene (from what he could tell, it was Serena), along with more sirens howling from outside the building as Junsa-san arrived.

"Tairenar, Fire Blast!" The performer ordered, sounding slightly pissed. Junsa-san entered, fighting at her side against Calamanero. A few other officers followed with their Pokemon.

Compared to the chaos (various attacks, people yelling, chunks of building falling), the scene of the two boys kissing peacefully made quite the contrast.

Weakly, the inventor smiled.

He had finally gotten through to him. Did this mean that Satoshi felt similarlly? It was obvious that their bond was strong enough to break Calamenaro's control over him. So was the possibility of a mutual love there? Satoshi wasn't resisting, instead, he gently leaned into him, seemingly perfectly fine with the intimate contact.

"Onii-chan!" Eureka came running towards him and Satoshi, looking rather confused. Quickly she stooped down, picking up her brother's glasses. Pikachu tailed closely behind her.

"Pika-pi!"

The two broke apart, keeping their eyes locked on one another. One look told Citron everything:

 _..he understands.._

"Onii-chan?"

"We're okay." He reassured his sister, recieving his cracked lenses. His head was still in a sickening spin. But, wheather it was from his first kiss or the multiple blows to the skull, he was unsure. In his lap, Satoshi sat up, now fully aware.

"Shit, I'm so sorry.." The trainer appologised sadly, wiping some of Citron's blood off his face. "I..I di-"

"You kids need to get out of here!" A man with auburn hair ran by, his Growlithe ready to attack the dark Pokemon ahead. Across the room, they could see Serena already leaving the collapsing building, her Terainer close behind her. "There's a medical truck outside, go!"

With Eureka's help, they too left, their group fleeing before anyone else could get hurt. Citron hobbled, his body getting even more sore as the moments passed.

"Here, let me help you." Satoshi took his arm, placed it around his shoulders and brought his own around the inventor's waist, just as he had done for him before. The four of them met outside, now out of Calamenero's attack range.

After returning the gemstone to the professor and getting immediete medical attention, the group returned to Miare City. The two hour long trip seemed to last days, the silence only broken by the rythmic beating of helicopter wings and a small radio broadcasting soft music.

-(back at Miare City Pokemon Centre)-

Back at the Miare City Hospital, their silence continued. After recieving further treatment (the inventor now had a broken nose and a couple fractured ribs), things had started to settle down.

"If you expierence anymore pain, you will be able to take more medication in about two hours. Please remember the hourly breathing exercises for your ribcage." Nurse Joy smiled gently, holding a clip board close to her chest. Politely, she turned to Serena and Eureka. "Visiting hours end in about 45 minutes. They'll begin again tomorrow at 8 am."

"Thank you." The honey haired girl replied, her eyes not lifing from her hands.

"Well then, good evening." The nurse closed the door carefully as to not aggrivate either of the boys' violent headaches.

The room remained silent for a moment. The four of them sitting akwardly in the cozy hospital room. Briefly, Citron peered over, watching Satoshi as he sketched something into a familiar blue notepad.

Guilt had completely overtaken his face. He sat quietly, using his knees as an easel with Pikachu nuzzled at his side. He hadn't been too seriously hurt, mostly just minor injuries. Still, the nurse had insisted that he too spend the night in the hospital, in order to make sure Calamenero hadn't done any internal (or psychological) damage.

On the wall closest to the door, the girls sat. Eureka fast asleep against Serena's shoulder, and the honey haired girl now twiddling her thumbs nervously.

 _She must still be upset.. about me kissing Satoshi._

That much was obvious. She had hardly said more than a few words to either of them since they left the abandoned building. And although she said she was just tired and shaken up, he could tell that wasn't entirely true.

She glanced down at Eureka.

"I think it's time she and I went back to the PokeCentre. It's pretty late.." Carefully, she nudged the little girl awake. "Come on, let's go."

"Mmm..." She whined, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Let us know when you guys are awake, I'll have my holocaster on." The performer stood, grabbing her backpack and pulling out a thin sweater.

"Goodnight, Onii-chan." Eureka put on the garnment, then went to her brother's bedside, giving him a hug. For a moment, she paused, looking at his bandaged face and split lip.

"Goodnight, Eureka." He smiled softly at her.

"I'll call Papa and ask him to send you a new pair of glasses." She glanced over at his nightstand, seeing his left lense split completely down the centre and the gold coloured metal bent akwardly. Beside it, his clothing from earlier sat covered in blood inside a plastic bag. "And maybe a new suit too."

"That'd be nice."

"..I hope you feel better, Onii-chan." Eureka paused again, looking across the room at the unusually silent trainer. "You too, Satoshi." She trotted over to his side, hugging him and petting Pikachu. She stood on her toes, cupping a hand around his ear and her mouth. Quietly, she whispered. "Please take care of my Onii-chan. He's really hurt.."

"I promise." Satoshi quietly replied, trying to put on a smile for her. With that, the little girl ran out of their room after Serena, waving goodbye as she closed the door.

..

"Look, Sa-"

"Wait." Carefully, the trainer got up from his bed, wavering slightly as he regained his balance. In his hand, he carried his notepad, clutching it like a security blanket. Carefully, he took a seat by his friend's side. After a moment's consideration, he handed over the booklet. "..here.."

Citron blinked, unsure if he was really able to take a look into something so private.

"Come on, it's not gonna bite." The trainer joked lightly, nudging his hand with the corner. "Wish I could say the same 'bout myself.. but I shouldn't deserve that kinda trust.. not after today."

"Satoshi, don't be ridic-"

"Just take it."

".." Hesitating, the inventor obeyed, bringing the blue notebook into his lap and his eyes flicking from the cover to it's owner. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Deciding it'd be best to just look, the blond turned to the first page.

This particular entry had a half dozen different doodles, each maked with the date and occasional text written in Japanese.

"I got this notebook when I first got ta Kalos." Satoshi brought an arm around the inventor, fingertips lazily brushing over his hospital gown. "Ya know, kinda to celebrate comin' to a new region."

"Do you have one for every region?"

"Nah, only this one." The trainer smiled a small toothy grin. "I bought it while you were helping Eureka pick out a tent."

"So that's where you went.." The blond thought back, remembering how they had lost Satoshi for nearly an hour and how he told them he was just trying to find a bathroom. Why would he try to hide buying something so simple and innocent as a notebook?

Interested, the inventor skimmed through the various pages, marveling at the art his friend had done. Action filled pictures of Mega Evolutions and gym battles, comical frames of mundane group activities the four of them had partipated in and (of course) plenty of pictures of Pikachu.

"Why did you want one specifically for Kalos?"

".." At first Satoshi didn't respond, instead keeping his firey amber eyes on the drawings he had created over a year ago. After a moment, he spoke up again. "Somethin' about this place felt special."

Citron tipped his head curiously, but quickly returned his attention to the notepad.

Things seemed to carry on steadily through nearly a dozen pages. But the further along he got, he slowly was starting to see a trend. What had once been mainly pictures of Pokemon and occasional sketches of their friends was becoming more and more focused on a particular subject. Dated from around two weeks before their gym battle, Citron noticed himself becoming more prevelent in the notebooks pages, along with increasing amounts of eraser smudges and Japanese text, frustration seemingly deep in the sharply sketched lines.

"You must have been upset." He remarked, clearly seeing the point of which he had departed from their group. The events from the Power Plant took up the majority of two pages, punctuated by one particular scene of him and Rentorar leaving in a helicopter.

"and lonely.."

"You missed me?" The boy turned to his friend, a slight blush tinting his cheeks.

"Well, yeah." Satoshi replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been together everyday for months. Then ya left and.." he paused, his face turning red. "and I just missed ya.."

From that point in the notebook on, the pages became more messy, the pictures becoming less and less defined and even some were left half completed. Curiously, he continued to thumb through, flipping through the next few pages until a massive picture caught his eye..

A detailed replica of the voltage badge sat in the middle, surrounded by his and Citron's pokemon.

"Satoshi, this is amazing." The blond marveled at his friend's artwork.

"Turn the page." He instructed with a little hestitation. Obediently, Citron flipped it again, his pale eyes widening slightly.

Satoshi had drawn (what the Kalosian assumed) was a manga style comic, depicting a scene of the two of them. The page was split into three sections.

The first seemed to be them talking (although Citron couldn't read it). The second seemed to be Satoshi.. inching a little closer to him. The third brought a soft blush to his pale cheeks. The final picture showed the two of them, so close to (but unfortunetely not) kissing.

From that point, the sketches became more cute and happier again. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed they had come from a love sick girl's diary. The dates steadily crept closer and closer to the current day. He was just about to turn to the most recent one, when a tanned hand stopped him.

"I wanna ask you somethin'.. before ya get to the last one." The trainer's face was a deep rosey pink. His hand hovering above the page shook lightly, quite clearly nervous.

"Anything." Gently, he leaned in, happy to notice that Satoshi didn't pull away from him. Whatever he wanted, he'd be more than willing to give it to him. Whatever he wanted to say, he would take it in stride. After a moment, he spoke again.

"..Did ya really mean what you said back there?.. Y-you know.." Satoshi mumbled, embarassment painting his face. The hand around the inventor's shoulder gently gripped him, as though afraid that he'd leave again.

After all that they had been through earlier, even though it ment a broken nose and a few fractured ribs, in the inventor's mind, it had been worth it. If he had never been forced to admit his feelings for Satoshi, then he probably never would have..

"Yes. Every word of it." Citron smiled softly. "I really do love you."

This seemed to send a jolt into the trainer, his face lighting up like he had just recieved a battle challange. He grinned broadly, before leaning his forehead against his.

"I-I think I love you too.."

-(5 weeks later)-

The blond stood in front of the mirror, gently peeling off the last of his nose's bandages.

"O-ow!" he winced slightly, feeling slightly uncomfortable yet happy that he hadn't sustained any permanant disfiguration. Timidly, he placed his glasses back on his face with a small pleased sigh. "That's better."

"Nice ta see everything goin' back to normal." a voice rang from behind him. Satoshi was leaning in the bathroom doorway, smiling with Pikachu riding on his shoulder. "You're cuter with your glasses on."

"I thought you said I was cuter without them." the inventor chuckled, fixing his shirt's misaligned buttons. "Why didn't you tell me this was so messed up? It's our first date, I don't want to look like I can't dress myself."

"I think you're perfectly fine." The trainer looked into the mirror, trying futily to control his unruly mass of dark spiky hair. Citron looked down at Satoshi's shirt, noticing a similar dilema."Besides, I thought we could match."

"Pi-Pika." Pikachu chirped in agreement from the counter top.

"I guess so." The blond smiled, having just finished fixing his shirt.

"Come on," Satoshi turned on a heel, sauntering to the door. "Let's get going before Eureka starts trying to show us wedding plans again."

"I keep telling her it's too early for that." Citron sighed, following his boyfriend out.

"Aw, but you'd look good in a dress." The trainer joked.

"Well, _you've_ actually worn dresses before. So if either of us is to wear one, it'd be you."

Things had worked out better than he had hoped. Thinking back to nearly two months ago, he would never had thought to actually be Satoshi's boyfriend. He had just accepted that he'd have to repress his emotions in order to keep him as a friend. But the whole experience with Calamenero had actually turned out to be a strike of luck. He was now able to call him, the boy he had been loving for so long, his own.

And nothing could make him happier.

Shyly, the blond reached out, taking Satoshi's hand and bringing into his own.

"I love you."


	2. Chu

set before 7th gen, but after 6th :3c

i was listening to the song "First Time He Kissed a Boy" by Kadie Elder, and i got thinking, about what if Satoshi isnt actually oblivious when it comes to attraction, what if he plays dumb, because he represses his true emotions? and this came along ^w^

* * *

 _(flashback)_

All it took, was simply holding another boy's hand, giving him a flower, and a compliment. It shouldn't have ignited as much hate as it had, but nevertheless, Satoshi still found himself behind the playground, face down in the dirt.

His whole body ached, knees cut up, his lip split, and unable to defend himself.

"Let me go! You can't do this!" He felt someone force him on his back, pinning him to the ground. Franticly, he clawed at his attacker's hands, trying to pry him off.

"What you going do about it?" the older boy mocked, a disgusting hateful smirk on his face. "You going to go running to your _boyfriend_? You need some sort of _prince_ to come save you, you weirdo?"

"I-if you don't stop, I'm gonna-"

"What ya goin ta do, fag?" The boy hit him again, catching him right above the ear. Satoshi thrashed all that he could, trying to escape his classmates grip. But he was easily out sized, unable to move or stop him from beating him up. The bully grabbed a nearby rock, using it to strike him even harder. "Why dontcha be a man and fight me?!"

"Fuck off!" he spat back with rage.

 _CRUNCH!_

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHIN WRONG!" His voice broke, as he cringed, trying to protect his head. But the shame began to sink in deeper. If he really felt he hadn't done anything wrong, why wasn't he fighting back? His mother had raised him better than this. But the harsh reactions of the other students planted a seed of doubt in his mind, maybe what he felt _was_ wrong.. maybe he _shouldn't_ be feeling these things towards other boys..

Through the hits, Satoshi managed to peer up just enough to catch a glance at fear on the auburn boy, a person who he had once considered a friend. He had gone whiter than a sheet, and yet, did nothing, frozen in place as his older brother beat the hell out of him.

"Kenta!" he called out, desperate for someone to help him.

A kick got him in the ribs.

" _DON'T TALK TO HIM_. Everythin about you is wrong! Your existence is wrong!" He growled, grabbing Satoshi's collar as he tried to get away.

"A-all I said was that he looked cu-"

 _KICK!_

That one really hurt.. he pulled his knees to his chest, sobbing into his legs.

"Stop it.. please.." he choked out quietly, shaking lightly. He could hear gravel crunching as the bully moved.

"Stay away from my brother, I don't want ya infecting him and turnin him gay." The bully stood, spat in disgust and turned, taking his shaken sibling harshly by the elbow.

"O-onii-san.." Kenta muttered with a pathetic squeak, as his sibling squeezed his arm threateningly.

" _Don't you dare_." Were the bully's last dark words, as they walked away, leaving the small bloody boy alone, crying in pain.

That night when his mother had asked him to recount why the older student had beaten him, he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. Pushing his shame and pain aside to put on a smile for her.

She had enough to worry about without his own problems.

But by the third or fourth time this happened, she had decided just to pull him out of school all together, tired of seeing her son coming home hurt.

 _(end of flashback)_

Now here he sat, nearly ten years later, still fighting himself. For the last decade, he had been able to suppress his emotions and urges. He had done all that he could to convince himself and others that he didn't like boys, that he just hadn't found the right girl yet.

He'd taken up baseball as a kid, acted rough and tough, he'd done anything to hide traits that society deemed _non-masculine_ , and thus (for some reason) gay. He'd never let his love of the arts show, he'd never dress in anything but masculine colours, and when someone would bring up his seemingly unusual amount of comfort around other boys, he'd simply say: "we're just friends".

While it meant repression and a deep undertone of self loathing, if it kept him safe, then he'd do it. And for the most part, he had been doing a pretty good job at not letting his sexuality show, even occasionally giving the impression to others that he really was into girls, when the truth of the matter was, that he just wasn't interested.

But as he watched his friend from across the campsite, working on his latest invention peacefully, he couldn't help but catch himself interested by what he saw.

The way Citron would push his hair behind his ear while he worked or slide his glasses back up his freckled nose, was admirably pretty cute. You'd have to be blind to think otherwise. The faint sound of humming, screws tightening, pencils scratching had become welcomed in Satoshi's mind. And occasionally, late at night, having the blond scoot closer to his side, fearful of the nightmares he'd often wake up from, would give him hordes of Butterfree in his stomach.

Whatever he was feeling, was a familiar sensation. It was the same as from all those years ago with Kenta, then later again with Shigeru. For a while he had been able to satisfy the part of his brain that craved Citron's attention with a quick hug or pat on the thinner boy's back. But as the months passed, that occasional intimacy was no longer enough.

So, was what he was feeling, a _crush_?

He had been wrestling with these thoughts more than usual, trying to shove them down as hard as he possibly could. But it felt like the harder he fought, the worse he'd feel. He had invited the inventor to Alola with him, overthinking the fact that it would be just the two of them. While that itself wasn't bad (it was what he really wanted after all), the gesture and Citron's quick acceptance of his offer brought up a strange mix of emotions.

On one hand, he was excited. It meant that he would be able to stay by his side, something that he had known he'd wanted since the beginning of their friendship. Citron was easy to be around, they shared alot of interests and even in quite calm moments, his company was comforting.

On the other hand, being in a tropical paradise, with a boy he had a massive crush on was slightly unnerving. He wasn't sure if he could trust his self control enough, to keep from letting this crush develop into something far more serious. And if Citron didn't return his feelings, would he hate him if he knew he was gay? Would he still want to be friends? Would Satoshi even _want_ to be friends, knowing that Citron could never return his affection? And if he couldn't bear it, but Citron wanted to remain friends, how would he deal with it then? Would he have to push the blond boy he cared so much for away?

Part of him still held that childhood fear.

 _I don't want to get hurt.._

Movement caught Satoshi's eye, bringing his attention back to Citron. The inventor had left his latest invention sitting in the grass. While he was shuffling through his backpack, to retrieve a teal coloured thermos and take a drink.

 _He'd never hurt me, right?.. Citron's such a nice guy.._

True, if anything, the polite boy wouldn't reject him, even if he wasn't into guys at all. Instead, he'd gut it out, unable to break his heart and thus suffering for it. And if they ever fought, and let it slip..

That would be perhaps the most painful situation Satoshi could think of. Being given a false sense of security and love, then having it ripped away..

".." Citron stood, took a moment to pop his back, then turned on a heel, heading his way.

 _Shit.. I don't know what to do.._

"Hey," he greeted, giving him a small smile and brushing his hair back behind his ear again. "I need to refill my canteen. Would you like to come with me? I think I remember a river not far from here." He offered the other boy a hand up.

"Hm?" Quickly the trainer tried pulling himself together enough to put his facade back on. "Sure." He casually tipped his hat to hide his blush, and accepted the hand.

They walked through the forest, striking up casual conversation of battle strategies and miscellaneous observations. The further away from camp they traveled, the harder Satoshi found it to stay focused.

He kept a short distance behind the inventor, letting his eyes drift up and down his thin frame while he spoke.

From the way he was dressed, was obvious that he'd been in 'the zone' for a while now. He had tied the sleeves to his jump suit around his waist, exposing his grease covered arms and tank top. Large canvas gloves were shoved into his pockets, accompanied by a various small tools. He had tied his hair back at some point, sticking a pencil along side the coloured ribbon.

It was a look that really suited the inventor, it fit his personality well.

 _Not to mention he's got a cute butt.._

With a small low grunt, the trainer pulled his eyes away, embarrassed to catch himself staring.

"-then I'll be able to start soldering the circuit boards necessary. Maybe if we run into Hau again, I can ask him a few questions about Tapu Koko's ability. It's supposed to be able to summon Electric Terrain on entry to battle." His pale eyes sparkled with excitement. "I have so many questions for him!"

Satoshi repressed a faint throaty growl, feeling irrationally jealous.

They hadn't even left for the new region yet, and already Citron was fan-boying harder than a kid excited for Christmas. They had been introduced by Professor Sycamore to the green haired teen and Professor Kukui. Hau had promised them that when they arrived, he'd introduce them to Hala and the electric type guardian of their island.

 _Let it go, champ. He's just exited.. nothin's going to go on between him and Hau.._

Quietly, he pushed the thoughts aside.

When they reached the riverside, after filling their canteens, the boys found a spot in the shade, taking a seat to relax in before making their way back to camp.

"-then install the solar panel, and it should be complete." The blond smiled, bringing his canteen to his lips once he was comfortable against a tree. "And when the Pikachu Robot 2.0 is finished, I plan on moving on to modifying my backpack for our journey to Alola." He took a small sip, excitement shining in his eyes. "It's going to be great.."

"Yeah." The trainer muttered absentmindedly, plopping his hat beside them. He reclined, laying back into the cool grass. His attention slipped, mentally drifting off again into his own thoughts.

 _I'm sure once we're there Hau will just go away, right? Like, he seems friendly enough, and those donuts he gave us were pretty good. But if I ha-_

"Satoshi, are you okay?.."

"W-what?" He had been caught off guard. It took a moment to register before Satoshi got the words to form in his head. With a tip of his head, he tried to brush off his comment, sitting up and fiddling with his glove as a distraction. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You aren't fine, I can tell." Citron said definitively, concern plastered across his face. His pale eyes scanned his friend's countenance, shifting his weight to sit beside him.

"How?"

 _Shit, I can never hide anythin' from him.. I always thought I pulled off the 'playing oblivious' role well.. guess it still needs some work.._

Citron extended a hand out, resting lightly on his arm. It was a familiar, welcomed gesture. Satoshi himself used it as a way to comfort the blond when he was in distress, but in this moment, it wasn't relaxing. If anything, the warmth of his hand and the slightly gritty sensation of callouses (from years of engineering) sent a tingle through his body.

"You're tense," he began, not lifting his gaze. "Back there, I could tell you were lying."

"Damn you, smart people. Always so freakin' attentive." he joked, nudging the blond playfully in attempt to make the serious mood more tolerable. The blond giggled, unintentionally making Satoshi break out in a genuine smile.

 _Attentive, and freakin' cute too._

"See? _That's_ a real Satoshi smile." Citron grinned sweetly, nudging back weakly. "You could light a room faster than Flash with that, you know?"

"Naahh.." The trainer pushed his friend's face away, mostly trying to hide the growing flush spreading across his cheeks.

"No, I'm serious." Citron insisted, catching his hand in his own. "It's one of the things I like most about you." He maneuvered his grip, placing his hand palm to palm with him. "It just makes me feel safe, like everything will be alright."

For a brief moment, they sat like that. The woods felt quiet, despite the calm riverside and chirping pokemon in the distance. The trainer's eyes flickered from their hands to his friend's face.

 _Does he know what he's doing to me? Can he feel me shaking?.. Good thing I have gloves, my palms are probably sweaty by now.._

Satoshi felt the other boy's hand twitch against his, fingers hesitating before letting go and dropping his arm back to his side.

"Sorry if that sounds kinda lame of me.." Citron blushed, rubbing the back of his neck before bringing his canteen to his lips and taking a sip.

"It's cool." The Kanto boy awkwardly turned his attention away, trying to repress the anxious flutter in his chest.

".."

".."

"Y-you know, Satoshi.." the blonde screwed the cap back on his bottle, fiddling around the edge of the lid nervously. "I've been thinking about the next part of our journey.. you know, to Alola."

"Yeah?"

"Well, I guess I never really put much thought into it but, I feel like this is what I want to do with my life. Travel from region to region, inventing things to help others.. a-and doing it all along side my best friend in the whole world.." The inventor's face washed a deeper candy pink, his lenses catching the noon sunlight.

 _FRIEND.._

Satoshi felt a knot in his stomach, the word brought a small pang of disappointment. Of course that's what Citron would see him as. That's all any boy would ever see him as, a friend. After all this time, it was still a little hard to swallow.

"But I wanted to ask for something, before we go."

"Anythin'." He replied, before jumping slightly at how suddenly the blond had leaned closer to him.

"I want you to promise me, that if you're ever feeling depressed, sad, angry or hurt, that you'll talk to me." His voice wavered slightly, "I know loosing the league was painful.. and I can't help but think that it has been one of the reasons you have seemed.. strange.. lately."

 _Oh, if only you knew.._

He had lost so many times, that he didn't take it as a big hit by this point. It only fueled his desire to keep moving forward. If only emotions were like the league, after a while being unphased by the shitty ones. He wouldn't have been in this predicament if that were the case.

"That is the least I can do to repay you for all that you've done for me." Citron peered up at him through his bangs, smiling proudly. "Because when I look at you, by being with you, I feel like I have the courage to face any of my fears."

How he admired that about the blonde, he had the ability to push through fear and come out a stronger man. While for the last ten years, the Kanto boy had been avoiding just that. If Citron could do it, then shouldn't he be able to too?

They had confided into each other nearly everything. Citron had told him how his mother had passed away, his crippling self consciousness, and at times, deep depression over the idea that he had let his father down by abandoning the Miare City Gym.

So why should he keep this secret any longer, when the Kalosian trusted him with his insecurities?

It was decided then.

"..A-actually, Citron.." he licked his lips nervously, his mouth feeling suddenly dry. Below in the grass, he pulled out tuffs of green fluffy blades with anxiety. Beside him, he heard a soft rustle as his friend came even closer, legs brushing against his, and joining his hands in the grass. "There.. is somethin' I kinda want to get off my chest.."

He didn't lift his copper coloured eyes from the patch in front of them, watching as Citron's nimble fingers twirled around honeysuckle stems. They made intricate patterns, dancing their way towards his own.

"Y-ya see.. I.. We-well.." Satoshi stammered, sure that his cheeks were a dark pink by now. "For a while now.. actually, years really, I've kinda been wa-"

It was only a brief second, but out of no where, he felt warm slightly chapped lips press against his cheek, sending a surge like electricity through his body. It was like his heart had stopped, shocked by the momentary gentle contact.

 _Chu._

* * *

(for anyone who doesnt know, "chu" is the sound a kiss makes in Japanese owo)

Thanks for reading!


	3. First (Casual) Date

I ACTUALLY UPDATED! :D

Im super sorry! I really wanted to update more for Valentines day :( but as long as I get ONE atleast one, then maybe i can redeem myself -_-

I just wanted to write something short and cute for today. So I thought: "Let's make a series of 'firsts' for them as a couple"! So, lets call this their "First Casual Date", because later I want to give them a "First Formal Date".

I know it's not perfect, but it takes me FOREVER to write, so i hope this is ok.

Anyway, please enjoy ad happy valentines day!

* * *

When you first start a relationship, you have a slew of 'first' moments.

The group had just arrived in the next town, and while the girls volunteered to restock medical supplies and pokefood, Citron and Satoshi roved off on their own, deciding to take the free moment for a short date.

"Hey, wanna get somethin'?" The Kanto boy gestured to a large bright stand, decorated in cheerful Cubchoo and Smoochum. He knew that the blond had a rather large sweet tooth (he most certainly didn't mind either).

"Sure." Happily, he lead the way, holding Satoshi's gloved hand almost timidly. It had taken a few days, but it appeared that Citron had become a little more open with showing affection in public. Once they had arrived, the blond's pale eyes scanned over the various colourful treats, trying to determine what would best satisfy his craving. After making his decision, he turned towards his new boyfriend. "What would you like?"

"Gimme a Wigglytuff cone, please." Satoshi grinned back, shoving his hands into his pockets and glancing around the town square, his eyes falling on a fountain glittering a little bit away. It was a rather quaint, yet cute place. Something about it's Kalosian charm reminded the trainer of the town they had traveled through the night after the Scary House.

 _It's actually kinda a nice place for a first date.. I THINK this is a date, right?.. But we've done this before.. so were THOSE dates too?.._

What could he do to separate this moment from all the others? Was there something that could make this date feel like an ACTUAL date?

Well, it probably didn't help that he looked like he'd just rolled out of the tent. But that was quickly solved, removing his gloves and hat, fixing his hair and popping his shirt collar. So far so good.

Anything else? Think.. think.. think..

"Here you go." The inventor's voice broke him from his train of thought. He was holding out the pale pink treat artfully swirled to perfection. "What would you like to do next?"

"hm.." The trainer's eyes scanned the area, again falling on the shimmery fountain in the middle of the square.

 _He likes pretty things.. maybe he'd like ta make a wish in it.._

"Let's go there." Without wasting time, he grabbed his boyfriend's hand, leading him away like an over excited Lilipup on a leash.

"S-Satoshi!" The blond nearly dropped his cup, struggling to keep up as his partner drug him into the centre of town.

"Hang on a second." The dark haired boy let him go, satisfied with how Citron had managed to keep up. He dug around in his pocket, pulling out a few coins, an Cheri berry, and a small ball of lint and Pikachu fur. Nervously (and rather clumsily), he shoved the random items into Citron's hand. "Here, make a wish."

For a moment the blond looked curiously at the palmful of stuff Satoshi had just given him. Wordlessly, he took the berry and plopped it on top of his sundae, dropped the lint to the ground and paused, placing his cup on the side of the fountain.

"You need to be able to make one too." He shuffled around in one of his own pockets, retrieving two coins, a stray bolt and what appeared to be a broken hair tie. After sorting out the undesirables, he handed Satoshi the coins.

"Thanks."

"Let me know when you're ready to throw them in." He smiled, quietly contemplating what he'd wish for. It was actually rather adorable to see how seriously the inventor seemed to be thinking. Satoshi watched as the blond's expression would change, wondering what sort of thought process he was going through.

 _Guess that explains why it take him forever to wish on stars.._

"Ready?" Citron peered over through one pale eye.

"Y-yeah." Satoshi blushed, slightly embarrassed to be caught in observation.

"One.. two.. three!" The inventor went first, tossing his coins with a pleasant 'plop' as they hit the water. When it was his turn, Satoshi nervously chucked them, making a bigger splash than he had anticipated.

 _Shit. I forgot to w-_

"What did you wish for?" Citron grinned, taking a seat on the side of the fountain with his ice cream. Politely he scooted over, letting his boyfriend take a seat beside him.

"Can't say." The trainer rubbed the back of his head. This wasn't going as well has he had hoped. Apparently, the Kanto boy hadn't considered how easily his nerves would be shot. Why did the word 'date' shake him up so much?

"Oh, I see. You don't want to give it away, right?" He smiled happily, taking a spoonful of his sundae. "..Would you like a bite?"

"Hm?" Satoshi blushed, his eyes crossing to see the mountain of whip cream and sprinkles pressed against his lips.

 _Does he know about indirect kisses?! Why's he so calm?! How's he so much better at this than me?! Is it because he's Kalosian?.. Is he tryin' to flirt with me?_

Timidly, the trainer took a bite, his face contorting at the unexpected intense rush of caramel and chocolate. Apparently the inventor had an unbelievable sugar craving..

"It's good, huh?"

"Y-yeah." The trainer smacked his sticky lips. If this was Citron's shy attempt, then maybe he should take a swing at the next move. _Hm... OH! I know!_ Satoshi scooted awkwardly closer to his boyfriend, placing his hand on top of Citron's. "This is pretty sweet.. but ya know what's even sweeter?"

"Hm..." the inventor paused considering his question, twirling a Cheri stem between his lips as he contemplated. "It would probably be some sort of carbohydrate... maybe refined sucrose.."

"Nah, it's _you_." Satoshi's face broke out in to a broad grin as though he had just spoken the coolest pickup line known to man. But quickly his expression fell, turning bright red once the inventor let out a small chuckle.

"Are you trying to flirt with me, Satoshi?" Citron's own face had turned a soft pink, his shoulders shook with stifled laughter.

"I-I... n...no..." he stuttered, taking a couple aggresive bites out of his ice cream cone.

 _Damnit.. He probably thinks I'm an idiot.._

Beside him the boy was doing all he possibly could to hide his bashful smiling face. And almost immediately, the trainer found himself loosing whatever traces of embarrassment he had. And strange enough, he found himself thinking quietly:

 _Ya know, I've never noticed it, but he looks really cute when he smiles.. he's got squishy cheeks with little dimples.. I kinda want to make him laugh even more.._

If his serious attempt hadn't worked, than perhaps, like in battle, he could make the best of his current situation. Fueled by a new determination. He leaned a little closer, tipping his head melodramatically, in attempt to imitate the cool guys from TV.

"Have I ever told ya that I think you're absolutely.. _electrifying_?"

"Electrifying?" Citron laughed again, a little louder this time.

"Y-ya like that?"

"Yes, it's really cute, but also really corny. No offense.."

"You kiddin'? I got alot more."The trainer beamed, feeling more and more confident with every cheesy line he spoke. "How 'bout this: I might need a Paralyze Heal, because you're _stunning."_

Satoshi smiled, feeling happier in that moment than he had been in such a long time. Sure, pokemon battles were fun, and exploring the region was always something to look forward to. But _this.._ spending an afternoon making this giggling boy laugh was something that he knew he'd never get tired of.

"H-how about a Burn Heal? 'Cause you're so hot it hurts."

"Are your eyes Miare City? Because I'm getting more lost every second I look into them." The blond flirted back, leaning in nearly nose to nose. He smiled coyly, seemingly having fun with the exchange. "How about we convert our potential energy to _kinetic_ energy? We can test the spring constant of my mattress."

 _W-what? Is he hitting on me with science?_ Quickly, the trainer desperately tried to come up with another line, not wanting to be out done.

"W-wanna... play my PokeFlute?"

"You're _flute_?" The blond burst out laughing, wiped his eyes from beneath his frames, no longer able to control his voice. His face had turned an even darker shade of pink. "I think that might be a little much for me to handle."

"I can give ya lessons!"

As a first date, this was pretty much all Satoshi could have possibly asked for. Sure, it wasn't flashy, and yes, he was slightly embarrassed. But never the less, the moment only made him more and more excited for what other milestones their relationship could have.

 _Imagine when we finally have our first kiss.. or our first anniversary.. what if Citron, this nerdy awkward boy, is the one I'm going to spend my whole life with.._

Surprisingly enough, the thought brought a strange sort of comfort to the trainer's mind. Just imagine how wonderful that will be..

* * *

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what other 'firsts' you want to see :3 and happy valentines day!


	4. Skating

Ok, so obviously, I'm a huge fan of 'Yuri on Ice', so I wondered what would happen if Satoshi and Citron tried ice skating too (not competitively, but more for fun). So heres what I had in mind ^w^

anyway, enjoy!

* * *

He still couldn't believe his eyes.

Out gliding along the ice, as though it were his second home, the blond twirled, practically glowing in Miare's city lights.

On the edge of the rink, Satoshi leaned over the rail. Beside him, Eureka smiled broadly, proud of her brother.

"Where'd he learn to do that?" The trainer didn't lift his gaze, keeping a close watch on his boyfriend's every move.

Satoshi had seen earlier that morning a crew working quickly with the aid of Pokemon to lay a solid rink around the Tower, but didn't pay much attention, too distracted with his own business inside. It was only when string lights glittered off the glassy ice and caught his attention that he'd noticed Citron was gone.

"Miare City has lots of places to skate this time of year. Prism Tower hosts one of the biggest public rinks in _the whole_ world." Eureka propped herself up on the rails, hanging off the edge and dangling her feet off the side. Dedenne crawled through her coat, popping out the back of her collar and up onto her head. "It's supposed to open tomorrow morning, so I guess nii-chan is just testing it out before it gets crowded."

"Why is it here? The gym specialises in electric types, not ice.." The trainer's gaze didn't lift, drawn into the way his partner seemed to be weaving intricate shapes with his skates. It strangely reminded Satoshi of the way the blond would dance around the kitchen in socks, humming to himself as he waited for the oven timer to go off, unknowingly having an audience in him and Pikachu peeping in the doorway.

"Cause this is the heart of Kalos, dummy." Eureka laughed. "Since the area around here is so big, and it looks super pretty this time of year, it's been tradition way before he took over as gym leader, to set up a rink around December. So Papa taught him that way he wouldn't be left out.." Her expression turned soft, turning back to her brother.

"All Papa and I ever wanted for him was to socialise and have friends, so nii-chan's ended up taking alot of different lessons." She peered up at the trainer, cupping her mouth and keeping her voice low. "They're all just really girly things. He's kinda old fashioned like that."

"That's cool." For a minute the trainer let all this process. Sure he and Citron had been friends now for nearly six years, but it was only in the last few months that they got together as a couple and started to really get to know each other beyond the level of friendship. Something about seeing the inventor's hidden potential blossom in front of him got Satoshi's heart going. How else would he surprise him in the future?

For now, they watched as he skated gently, the blond seemingly mesmerised by the way the golden lights reflected from every corner, effortlessly following the waltz playing overhead on speakers. The inventor paid them no mind, lost in his own.

"He looks so happy out there.." Satoshi smiled softly, tucking his hands back into his coat pockets. Pikachu chirped in agreement, nuzzling his trainer's cheek. Quietly they watched, apparently an idea must have popped into the blond's head as the song quickened, becoming more dramatic.

 _What are you thinking?_

Satoshi felt himself grin, recognising the expression on Citron's face as one the mad scientist in him would get whenever he was struck with inspiration. He watched the boy with wide eyes, the breathe catching in his throat the moment his skates left the ice into a strong jump, landing cleanly and carrying on towards the opposite side of the rink.

 _T-That was so cool!_

"GOOD JOB, ONII-CHAAAAN!" Eureka burst out, breaking the peaceful atmosphere. Her breathe forming little clouds as she called out.

"Not exactly what I was going for, but atleast I got three of the rotations." He kept his gaze up on the lights above, his feet carving smooth lines through the ice. He turned back around, his expression shifting from satisfied to embarrassed the second he spotted his boyfriend. The blond made his way towards rink side, fiddling with his gloves anxiously. "O-oh, hi, Satoshi. I didn't see you there. I thought you were still busy training.."

Pride swelled in the trainer's chest, unable to control himself, he grabbed his face between his hands, smooshing his bright pink cheeks the moment he reached rink side.

"YOU'RE AMAZING." He praised, placing a quick kiss on his chapped lips and earning a shy squeak from the flustered boy. "Did you see that jump?!"

"Um, yeah? I-I'm not amazing, but thank you.." Citron blushed harder, unable to take his starry puppy dog eyes in such close proximity.

"No, really, you ARE. Why didn't ya tell me about this sooner?"

"I-it never really came up before. I sort of figured since this will be our first Christmas in Miare City, you'd find out on your own.. Anyway," he gently pushed back, pale eyes catching the golden lights. He held out his hand with a smile of his own. "Now that you do, what do you say to joining me?"

".."

"..E-eh?" The colour drained from the trainer's face, seemingly like a Deerling in the headlights. Pikachu glanced up at his trainer knowingly. "Nah, I'll just watch."

Briefly, the siblings exchanged wide eyed shocked expressions. Satoshi? Just watch? That didn't sound like the trainer at all, who would normally never even question his invitation. The little girl seemed to catch on easily, grabbing on to his jacket and tugging.

"Do you not know how to skate, Satoshi?" Eureka questioned, tipping her head curiously.

"No, no, i-it's not that. I just- Ya see, it's kinda funny.. I-.." The trainer pulled the rim of his hat over his eyes, not meeting her dumbfounded stare. "..no, I don't.."

"Well, if you'd like, I could teach you." Citron glided over and exited the rink, taking a moment to place gaurds back on his blades and join them. "While, I'm not a pro by any means, I can atleast start you out."

"O-okay, cool." Satoshi did his best to remain calm, although found it exceptionally hard. Between his nerves, embarrasement, and the fact that Citron now stood (in skates) more than half a foot taller than him, he couldn't help but feel like he belonged in some sort of shoujo manga.

"Come on, I got an extra pair you can borrow. If I remember correctly, we're nearly the same size anyway."

"Thanks." The trainer followed him back inside and up the tower, butterfrees swirling in his stomach. As they made their way towards one of their many storage areas, the soft click of skates on the metal floor echoed. Side by side, Satoshi kept sneaking quick glances at the Kalosian.

"You know, skating actually has quite a large amount of physic principals." He chimed, still playing with the hem of his black gloves, a nervous habit carrying over from his late nights inventing. There was a subtle look of pride gleaming in his pale eyes. "For example, while executing a turn or a spin, such as the quad I was attempting earlier, bringing the arms close to the body increases momentum and reduces rotational inertia."

 _What?.._

"You're such a nerd, Shiro-chan." He laughed. Of course the reason he was so good was because his interest in the science behind it. Satoshi highly doubted if there wasn't something familiar, that the blond would be as invested in learning in the first place.

"Well, who can blame me? It's thrilling to see equations and theories put into action."

"Like your science."

"Exactly."

The blond continued explaining mechanics that, while Satoshi didn't really grasp, found interesting. At the least, it was fun to watch the joy that came across his face as they spoke. Slowly, Satoshi became lost in his own thoughts, no longer paying attention to whatever concept Citron had moved on to now.

This whole time, he'd been so used to being the physical one. He was the one who suggested him and Citron go on morning runs and encouraged the blond to train along side his pokemon like he himself had been doing for years. He was used to being in a coach of sorts. Sure, Citron had done his share of academiclly tutoring Satoshi (helped improve his english, teaching him basic mathamatics, etc.), but this was something new for the both of them. This thought sent a tingle of excitement racing through the trainer's body from the tips of his fingers to his toes. He was a man of action more than words, afterall. So being met on his own terf to be physically challanged was something he was looking forward to as soon as he'd gotten over the initial embarasement.

They climbed a flight of stairs, crossed a few halls and found a spare room, apparently stocked with seasonal items seldomed touched. After selecting a pair of skates and with a little assitance in lacing them up (Citron misjudged his foot size, resulting in the need of extra socks to get it to fit right), the duo headed back to the rink.

 _This is gonna be a piece of cake, I can totally do this_. Satoshi confidently thought, shoving his hands back into his pockets. The sound of blade gaurds hitting the steel floor got his blood going. How much harder could it really be to skate than to walk like this?

"You're going to do great." Citron grinned, waving a quick 'hello' to Eureka as they passed the Tower's kitchen, heading back out into the cold.

"With ya teachin' me," The trainer threw an arm around his boyfriend, having a slightly harder time than when they were kids. "I know I will."

* * *

 ** _(half an hour later)_**

 _THUD_

"I look like an idiot." Satoshi groaned, pulling himself back up again. Frustration and determination burning in his chest. In the last half hour, he'd smashed his face into the ice countless times. His palms were raw, a chapped painful red from striking the floor with a hundred and fourty pounds of pure muscle. But nevertheless, he reached back up, finding the railing.

"No, no, you look cute." Citron encouraged, repressing his giggles at how awkwardly his boyfriend clung to the side of the rink.

"How would you know? You're blind as a Zubat without glasses." Satoshi flushed, foot slipping out from under him again. "Surprised you're not the one runnin' into the wall at every turn."

"Contact lenses, mon ange. Here," He offered a bit of support, holding on to his elbow for balance as the Kanto boy settled into a standing position. After he seemed to collect himself, he let go.

"Those could've come in handy when ya were tryin' out that recipe the other night."

"Salt and sugar look remarkably alike, regardless of whether or not I'm wearing glasses."

"Remind me to never let you cook while drunk again." Satoshi smirked, attempting to reach out to playfully push the inventor but slipping in the process. "Everything I eat still tastes like salt." Laughing, Citron backed off, letting his boyfriend collect his footing enough to take a few small steps.

"Let's try that again, okay? Are you sure you don't want a chair?"

"No, I got this." Satoshi bit his lip, concintrating on the blades beneathe his feet. If Citron could do this, so could he. After much hesitation, he pushed forward, trying to replicate the motion he'd shown him earlier.

 _One foot.. another.. another.._

"Good, good.." The blond kept an arm out, ready to come in at anytime should he start falling again. "You're doing great, Satoshi."

"Thanks." While it didn't come across his face, the trainer felt content, taking comfort in the knowledge that as a team, as a couple, that he and Citron would always be there to support one another.

His firey amber eyes didn't leave the floor, determined to make it across the few feet away where his boyfriend stood.

Meanwhile, across the rink, Eureka was joined by Serena and Sana, watching the boys with cups steaming in their hands. They arrived while they were in the Tower, joining Eureka in watching the awkward duo skate.

"I'm surprised Satoshi's never done this before." The honey haired girl gawked, unaware of her girlfriend stealing the whip cream from her mug. She adjusted her fluffy knitted scarf in attempt to stay warm. "He's normally so athletic." Sana nodded in agreement.

"I heard him and nii-chan talking about that. He said he's never stayed in a place long enough to actually learn. This is the most time he's spent in one town since he was ten."

"How long has it been now? Since they got back from Kyuushuu?"

"I dunno, two months?" Eureka held a mitten to her chin, considering when her brother actually arrived back home. Faintly, they could hear the chink of ice, another thud and several aggressive curses in Japanese. "Apparently they're planning on going back to traveling by February. Satoshi noticed nii-chan was getting homesick, even considering stopping all together and just being a full time gym leader, even though he hates that idea.. so they're staying here a few months to let him recouperate." She placed her now empty mug on the ground, pulling dedenne futher into her coat securely. "I hope this helps him in the long run, he seems so happy finally having a partner, I'd hate for him to loose that."

Serena, who hadn't taken her eyes off the scene in front of her, smiled softly. Turning her atteniton to the smaller girl.

"I'm sure it will." She took another sip of her cocoa, noticing a significant amount of her whip cream was gone (and on her girlfriend's upper lip). "It seems like he's finally opening up to Satoshi more. The Citron we knew as kids was way more reclusive, he wouldn've made up some excuse not to each him, saying he was a bad teacher or something."

"I think traveling on their own helps both of them." Sana chimmed in. "Satoshi's way more open with showing his emotions too. I mean, just look."

Across the rink, it appeared the Kanto boy was now on some sort of comical tangent, clinging to the railing and smashing into the ice with the sharp tip of his blades in playful frustration. Beside him, Citron was clutching his sides in laughter at whatever his boyfriend was ranting about, turning bright pink.

"True, he could only 'play dumb' for so long." Serena finished the last of her cocoa, placing her mug on the ground along side Eureaka's. "I'm glad he doesn't repress himself anymore."

 _THUNK_

Now more curses laced with laughter.

".. I totally ship them." Sana held her hands close to her chest, as though she were watching the most adorable thing in the world. Beside her, Serena and Eureka hummed in agreement.

* * *

 _ **(meanwhile)**_

Panting and huffing, Satoshi propped himself up again. Slowly he was getting the hang of it, holding his arms out for balance every time he was afraid of falling. His knees throbbed in a dull pain, most likely bruised by now. His palms, while still raw and stung, now were being warmed by his boyfriend's gloves.

 _You got this, champ.._ he thought _. You're gonna get to his level.._

"Brilliant, other foot.. very good, remember to go slow.." Citron lightly held his boyfriend's hand, keeping a peaceful voice and reassuring him every step of the way. "You're doing amazing, Satoshi."

"Thanks," The trainer kept his gaze locked on his skates, pushing off hesitantly one foot at a time. His whole body was tense, lips pulled into a tight line as he tried to focus. "Gotta hand it to ya, this isn't as easy as you make it look."

"Well, I got nearly ten years under my belt..you'll be an expert in no time, I promise."

"I'll hold ya to that."

"As always.." Carefully, he let go of the other boy's hand. "Satoshi, stay right there.."

"W-wait.. What are you doing?" A breif flicker of panic flashed through his face, showing rare insecurity. He wavered, putting his arms out in attempt to balance. "Don't tell me you're actually gonna get the fuckin' chair."

"No, I won't. But I want you to stay there a moment.." Citron took a few steps back, paused then held out his arms. "You keep looking at your feet. I think that's why you're not getting anywhere. So, keep your eyes here instead, okay? _Focus only on me_."

Wordlessly, and despite his current insecurity, Satoshi took a deep breathe, accepting the challange.

 _One.. two.. three.. foouuurr.._ He wavered, paused and bit his lip. Thankful his wasn't eating ice for felt like the hundredth time that evening. In front of him, Citron muttered praise, seemingly as grateful he didn't have to intervene.

 _Five.. six.. seven.._

Hey, this was working.. maybe he was finally getting the hang of this. From behind them, on the opposite side of the rink, he could hear Eureka, Serena and Sana giggling and chatting _. I wonder what they're talking about?_

 _Eight.. niiiiine..._

"Shit." he had to catch himself again, throwing his arms out.

"Satoshi, eyes on me." The blond spoke sternly, redirected his drifting gaze. "Ignore them.. you're more than half way there."

The trainer obeyed, forcing himself to lock onto Citron's gaze, feeling his heart flutter. Paired with the music playing above their heads and the soft golden glow of the Tower behind them, Citron holding his arms out waiting for him brought on an overwhelming wave of awe inside him.

"God, you're beautiful.." Satoshi swallowed, trying to pull himself back together. Across from him, the Kalosian flushed a candy pink, blush spreading all the way back to his ears.

"U-um.. th-thank you. B-but I'm not 'b..'beautiful'. I'm average at best, maybe a little less than average." He stammered, obviously not used to receiving compliments on his appearance. Nervously, he fiddled with this fingers, twirling them in small circles around each other.

 _Ten.. eleven.._ he wavered again, but caught himself, determined to keep going. The Kanto boy kept his attention deadset in front of him, finding it far easier to keep his destination in mind rather than staying focused on the journey there.

 _Twelve.. thirteen..fourteen.._

"I-I mean, I have big dorky glasses, and still wear a retainer at night."

"I love your 'dorky glasses'." Satoshi complimented, admiration deep in his voice. He chuckled lightly as Citron berried his face in his hands, now a dark beet red. "And ya sound cute with your retainer in."

 _fifteen.. sixteen.._

"Satoshiii," he whined, getting progressively more embarrassed.

"And I love the way you get excited over those boring documentaries or Carnet's movies, your stupid frilly bloomers and when you laugh so hard you snort."

 _seventeen..eighteen.._

"You're just saying that." he mumbled, unaware that he was now standing toe-to-toe with his boyfriend.

"I'm 'just saying that', because I mean it." Carefully he reached up, peeling the inventor's hands away from his scarlet face. The expression on his face read across as 'I have officially died of embarrassment, don't look at me'. Satoshi grinned, pleased with himself. "Looks like focusin' on you, was exactly what I needed."

Gently, he placed a small kiss on his boyfriend's lips, functionally KO-ing the poor inventor and turning him in a puddle of brainmush.

"T-thank you.." Citron stuttered, unable to form more than a two word sentence.

"Let's keep going." The trainer smiled broadly, shooing the Kalosian a few steps back. "I wanna skate with ya before this rink gets taken down." Citron appeared thankful, pushing a lock of hair behind his ear and getting ready again in case Satoshi needed him.

The two carried on through the night, speaking encouraging and sweet words as they worked together. Sure, Satoshi's whole body was sore. And yes, by the end of their evening, he was surprised he could still walk. But to see the confidence Citron had in himself on display, and the pride he had in the Kanto boy that he was teaching, made every last ache and pain worth it.

After a hot meal, and taking care of their pokemon, they made their way upstairs, getting ready for the night.

".."

"..Hey, Citron," Satoshi called from inside the shower, letting the scalding hot water soak into his muscles. The heat was such a welcomed relief from the cold that seemed to chill him to the bone (Christmas cookie scented body wash was also a nice perk). Across the bathroom where the inventor was brushing his teeth. "I had alotta fun with you today."

"Me too." The blond mumbled through a mouth full of foam. He spat into the sink, cleaning off the brush before continuing to get ready for bed. "To be honest, I was actually rather shocked that you hadn't skated before. Although perhaps it would've been a bit easier on you to learn if I had skates that actually fit you." The Kalosian removed his contacts and placed them in a case, before clipped his bangs back with a starry baret. "If you'd like, we can get you your own in the morning."

"Sounds cool." Satoshi ran shampoo through his hair, thinking over the various emotions from the night. "What else can ya do that you haven't told me?"There was a small squeak from the other side of the opaque yellow curtain. "Eureka says your dad signed you up for alotta different lessons."

"Oh.. just stuff, you know.. like piano. It's sort of like using a keyboard, I guess, so that was pretty easy for me to pick up." There was a pause. "And um.. ballet?"

"That'd explain why you're actually pretty flexible." Satoshi noted with a laugh. After rinsing his hair, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his hips.

"It's not funny.." Citron pouted, scrubbing his face with a pastel coloured washcloth, eye darting back towards the sink in attempt not to be caught staring at the trainer's exposed skin.

"I didn't say it was funny. I want ya to teach me." Satoshi joined him at the counter, leaning back and smiling. "Pleeaaaseee."

For a moment, the inventor seemed to be considering his request, before drying his face on the hem of his nightshirt.

"Come on, it could be fun. And hey, in return," The trainer's smile grew wider. "I'll teach you Japanese."

"I've been asking you to teach me for months." Citron's eyes lit up. "No offense, but I got really tired of asking you translate everything back in Kyuushuu. And I got the feeling what you instructed me on how to introduce myself was wrong."

"My mom found it amusing."

"Of course she would, she's your mother." He smirked, playfully nudging his arm.

"So, deal?" Satoshi held out a hand.

"Deal."

* * *

Yeah after a certain point I had no idea where this was going. I just like writing domestic playful interactions between our boys lol

But i hope you still liked it! thanks for reading!


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